sore udders and possible bad back?

[rosencassie]

my mare has recently had a foal, who she is a fabulous mum to. i am completly inexperienced with foals/broodmares as this foal was unplanned and unexpected.

i broke my 3yo anglo-arab in when she was 6 months pregnant, she was great with the girth and weight on her back, she didnt buck once. we were also doing poles and small jumps when she was 9 months pregnant. she was 10 months pregnant when she began biting my legs and began to run away when i was getting on. i put her on rest with being suspisious of back pain, when her udders swelled and a vet confirmed she was pregnant.

im worried i have put her back and hips at too much strain and may have damaged them.

she is also refusing to pick up her hind legs, a friend says its just because her udders will be sore but she was great with her feet, and recently she kicked a farrier after refusing to pick her feet up.

 

[xnaughtybutnicex]

I don't know much about mares and foals but is it possible it could be sore because of the age she had the foal at? Isnt 3 quite young to have a foal?

 

[scotsmare]

I would get her back checked asap - I know you didn't know she was in foal when bought / backed her but you've inadvertantly placed a lot of strain on her body. Udder pain wouldn't cause her to be unwilling to lift her feet.

 

[rosencassie]

[ QUOTE ]
I don't know much about mares and foals but is it possible it could be sore because of the age she had the foal at? Isnt 3 quite young to have a foal?

[/ QUOTE ]

my foal is 9 weeks, but im still struggling to pick up my mares feet.

i didnt know she was pregnant, i bought my mare about 8 months ago and she used to be wild, the previous owner left all her horses in a huge field for years and there were 5 stallions in the field (i wasnt told until recently) that could by my foals possible sire. all together there were over 50 horses, including many foals in the same field

 

[rosencassie]

we have done various things our vet suggested, like turning the neck to her side, which she did with ease, feeling her spine to feel if anythings different and applying pressure to various parts of her back. she was fine with them all but its still worrying me. we havnt been able to afford a call-out, they are £75 each and this foal has doubled our livery bill.

what other reason do you think is causing her to not pick up her back feet?

 

[xnaughtybutnicex]

I think there has to be pain somewhere so maybe it is just her udders. Is she fine when baby is suckling?

 

[rosencassie]

yeah my mare stops and stands for her, but for about 2 weeks shes began to bite the foal when she latches on, she still stands but it seems really painful for her

 

[scotsmare]

Thing is turning her neck etc won't necessarily show up back / pelvic pain. If she's allowing the foal to suckle happily then it's unlikely to be udder related. Your vet really should be your first port of call here but I understand your financial predicament. Can you move your mare and foal somewhere cheaper so that you can get the help that you need?

 

[xnaughtybutnicex]

I'd assume that was the problem then. I don't know how common that is in 1st time mums or whether it is just your mare. I know it is best for baby to have mums milk but is there some sort of formula you can feed he throughout the day so she is feeding less from mum?

 

[scotsmare]

Sorry - didn't see your last post - if she's in pain when suckling she may have mastitis and in that case you really need a vet.

 

[xnaughtybutnicex]

'Mastitis is inflammation of the mammary gland(s). While a common problem in many livestock species it is rare in the horse. The probable reason is the much smaller and better guarded udder, less pendulous teats (mamma), and smaller teat canals and openings (ostea). This makes trauma, a frequent predisposing cause, less common and ascending infection less common. Interestingly neither age, pregnancy, or past parturient status greatly effects the incidence. This article discusses normal mammary anatomy, normal and abnormal mammary secretions, clinical signs, diagnosis, and treatment of mastitis in mares.'

Copied from horseadvise.com

 

[rosencassie]

[ QUOTE ]
I'd assume that was the problem then. I don't know how common that is in 1st time mums or whether it is just your mare. I know it is best for baby to have mums milk but is there some sort of formula you can feed he throughout the day so she is feeding less from mum?

[/ QUOTE ]

she is suckling very well and very frequently - tell by the pics, shes very well rounded. all my mare has started to do is bite her hind legs when she latches on, once shes on my mares fine with it but i havnt noticed her not letting her suckle

 

[xnaughtybutnicex]

Are her udders swollen at all?

 

[rosencassie]

they dont seem swollen, since i found out she was pregnant ive been checking and cleaning them regularly and since she gave birth there has been no change in them at all

 

[scotsmare]

foalie could just be giving her a nip then when she's latching on and that's why mum's nipping back - she's about the right age for it to happen now.

Still doesn't explain why your mare doesn't want to lift her feet though

 

[xnaughtybutnicex]

Maybe it is just a 1st time mum thing then or your mare only being 3(i dont know this though) so maybe keep an eye on things for the next few weeks and see if she gets better/worse. I don't know if it's advisable but could you cold horse your horse?

 

[rosencassie]

i know its really worrying me. shes fine when shes moving, they both bomb around in the field together and rose moves freely with her legs.

 

[xnaughtybutnicex]

Maybe it could be pelvic or something else like S said.

Only 2 mares down my yard have had foals and neither of them have had this problem. One of their foals is called cassie aswell(sorry to be off subject)

 

[redcondios]

I would get her back checked by a chiro asap. Most vets aren't trained in finding back problems (subluxations) which is why you should use a qualified chiro (which is cheaper than a vet's call out) The work she endured so late in the gestation period combined with the foaling may well have caused her to sustain a back/pelvic problem.
Check out this site;
www.equine-spinal-therapy.co.uk

 

[CBAnglo]

She may have done something to her back when you riding her. In my opinion, it was a bit early to be jumping her after only backing her 6 months previously and her only being 3.5 years old. I would have waited for her to mature a little more before I did that. At just 6 months after backing I would only have been hacking her and then I would have turned her away and then brought her back into work and then introduced jumping. I would get the vet out to investigate.

 

[imafluffybunny]

She may have put something out in her back or pelvis etc whilst riding or during the birth which would cause her pain to lift her back legs up, I would get her back checked out by a chiropracter as vets are not always the best with back injuries unless you can get a very good equine vet to come out. Does she trot up sound?
The pain from birth can sometimes frighten mares, as she is very young, could she be refusing to pick up her back legs due to fear or protectiveness of her back end?
My mare nips at her foal occationally when she suckles as i presume the foal is too rough, i doubt this would stop her picking her back feet up.
I hope you get it sorted soon.